West Bridge Journals

Signal Six

The three escaped convicts lay about 10 feet apart in a slight depression behind the pine trees and palmettos. They were armed with several hand guns and hunting rifles that they had stolen. The leg of one of the escapees was bleeding from a shotgun blast. That blast came from about 50 yards away from the road where a prison van and pickup were parked facing each other. There were three correctional officers behind the vehicles, but only one of the three were still mobile. The other two were down hard. One had a sucking chest wound and the other had taken a round in the hip and shoulder. The mobile officer, (Lieutenant Eric Daniels, nick named Stormy), had dragged the two wounded officers behind the van and now was leaning over the front of his pickup with a shotgun pointed in the direction where the convicts lay. He reached through the window and grabbed his radio mic.

“Security One this is Security Three, 10-24, repeat 10-24!” he called on his radio.

“Security One to Security Three, what’s your twenty?”

“I’m with Hamilton two, and both officers are down hard. I need a code 71 dispatched ASAP to the power line road just off County Road Six west of County Road 141. Hold them at Road Six, the Signal six’s are about 50 yards away and heavily armed.”

“Good grief, Stormy, you’re ten miles away! How did they get there?”

“I think they stole a pick up. I passed an abandoned one just up the road. They must have run out of gas or blew the engine. Hamilton Two drove up on them from the other way and the Signal six’s opened up on them. I think they want the van. Stand by, Security One,” Stormy said.

Lieutenant Daniels turned to the officer waving his good arm at him.

“Stormy, I hit one of them. I shot him with the shotgun,” he said.

“Security One, Hamilton Two said they hit one of the Signal six’s with a load of buck shot. I need back up right now.”

“Help is on the way, Security Three. We have a 10-71 in route and they are checking with county to see if they have any units in the area.”

The Lieutenant could not answer as he was returning fire. The convicts had opened up on him with the hunting rifles they had. At that distance his buck shots, while lethal, mostly just kept their heads down.

“Security One to Security Three.”

There was no answer so he called again.

Security One to Security Three, talk to me Stormy!”

“Kind of busy now, Chief! Taking fire and need help now! We’re low on ammo! We got about two minutes to live!”

Lieutenant Daniels counted his empty shells, realizing he only had two left in his shotgun. He had already shot up one of his two spare revolver speed loaders leaving him just six rounds for his hand gun.

“Stormy, Akins don’t look too good,” Officer Lamb said.

“Help is on the way, Lamb.”

“He looks dead!”

The convicts started shooting again only they had separated further causing Stormy to drop down behind the front wheel.

“Lamb, can you still shoot?”

“I can try, but I ain’t no good with my left hand.”

“I think they are going to try to rush us from two sides and try to get one of the vehicles. You’re going to have to stop that one over there.”